The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its weekly preview for the upcoming weekend's Grand Circuit races.
This Week: Tompkins-Geers, Tioga Downs, Nichols, NY; Lawrence B. Sheppard final and Yonkers Trot eliminations, Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, NY; Maple Leaf Trot and Roses Are Red finals, Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, Ont.; Battle of Lake Erie, Northfield Park, Northfield, Ohio; and Delvin Miller Adios eliminations, The Meadows, Washington, Pennsylvania.
Schedule of events: Grand Circuit action kicks off this Thursday (July 18) at Tioga Downs with four divisions in the $92,672 Tompkins-Geers for two-year-old colt trotters and three divisions in the $75,271 Tompkins-Geers for two-year-old filly trotters. On Friday (July 19) at Tioga, there will be three divisions in both the $83,472 Tompkins-Geers for two-year-old colt pacers and the $78,620 Tompkins-Geers for two-year-old filly pacers. The Saturday (July 20) card at Tioga Downs features a sole $62,766 Tompkins-Geers division for three-year-old colt trotters and a pair of splits in the $70,766 Tompkins-Geers for three-year-old filly trotters. Grand Circuit action at Tioga concludes on Sunday (July 21) with the $70,000 (est.) Tompkins-Geers for three-year-old colt pacers and the $65,000 (est.) Tompkins-Geers for three-year-old filly pacers.
Yonkers Raceway will host the Grand Circuit on Saturday with the $111,250 Lawrence B. Sheppard final for two-year-old pacing colts and a pair of $40,000 Yonkers Trot eliminations, the first leg of the Triple Crown for three-year-olds.
Mohawk Racetrack will also offer a pair of Grand Circuit stakes on Saturday with the $543,000 Maple Leaf Trot for open trotters and the $391,000 Roses Are Red final for older pacing mares.
Northfield Park’s signature race, the $100,000 Battle of Lake Erie for open pacers, will also be held on Saturday, while the Meadows will offer a pair of $50,000 eliminations for their signature event, the Delvin Miller Adios for three-year-old colt pacers, on that same night.
Last time: Meadowlands Racetrack hosted five lucrative Grand Circuit events this past Saturday, led by the $635,750 Meadowlands Pace for three-year-olds.
Captaintreacherous (driven by Tim Tetrick) went right to the front and took the short way around the track and was never seriously challenged en route to a three and a quarter-length win in 1:48.1 in the Meadowlands Pace. The rest of the field followed Captaintreacherous to the wire, with Odds On Equuleus second and Sunshine Beach third.
Pet Rock (David Miller) won the $471,800 William Haughton Memorial for open pacers in 1:47. Pet Rock paced away from the field in the stretch to win by three quarters of a length. Bolt The Duer was second and Sweet Lou third.
Bee A Magician dazzled in the $265,500 Delvin Miller Memorial for three-year-old trotting fillies with a world record 1:51 mile. Brian Sears turned her loose entering the final turn and Bee A Magician took it from there. She glided under the wire four and a half lengths clear of Frau Blucher with Mistery Woman third.
Royalty For Life (Brian Sears) finally put it all together with an impressive 1:52 win in the $294,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial for three-year-old colt trotters. Caught wide early, Royalty For Life cleared Corky down the backstretch and responded gamely in deep stretch when Spider Blue Chip challenged. Royalty For Life dug in to win by a head over Spider Blue Chip. Deweycolorintheline was third.
I Luv The Nightlife (Tim Tetrick) captured the $184,250 Mistletoe Shalee for three-year-old filly pacers. I Luv The Nightlife beat Charisma Hanover by a half-length in 1:50. Novascotia Hanover was third.
The other six-figure race on the Grand Circuit this past weekend was Friday night's $100,000 William Connors Memorial for three-year-old colt trotters at Hazel Park Raceway. Longwell overcame a first-over trip past the half to win in 1:57.1 for trainer-driver Dan Shetler. Longwell remained game to the wire to win by one length over Powerful Poe, with Voodoo Victor closing for third.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2013, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will be tracked on a points system (20-10-5 for the top three finishers in divisions/finals and 10-5-2 for the top three finishers in eliminations/legs).
Here are the leaders following the past weekend:
Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 639; 2. Tim Tetrick – 493; 3. David Miller - 338; 4. Brian Sears – 284.5; and 5. Andy Miller – 161.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 633.5; 2. Jimmy Takter – 228.5; 3. Ray Schnittker – 174; 4. Linda Toscano – 142; and 5. Chris Ryder – 139.
Owners: 1. Burke Racing – 134; 2. Weaver Bruscemi – 128.8; 3. Frank Bellino – 93.5; 4. Captaintreacherous Racing – 80; and 5. Ray Schnittker – 73.8.
Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next weekend at the Meadows, Yonkers Raceway and Meadowlands Racetrack. The Meadows will host eight Grand Circuit events, led by the final of the Delvin Miller Adios for three-year-old pacing colts. Yonkers will host the final of the Yonkers Trot for three-year-old colt trotters. Meadowlands Racetrack will host eliminations for six lucrative stakes, led by the Hambletonian Oaks for three-year-old filly trotters.
(Grand Circuit)